Together in the Mountain God's Forest
by FirstxLove
Summary: "You don't come running at me anymore, I've noticed."


I have no excuses for my lack of updates; I'm just an incredibly lazy writer who always has writer's block. Hehe! Anyway, I'm back with some Enjonine. It's a bit choppy everywhere, but I kinda like this. It's a beast of a thing on Word (16 pages, 5914 words, it's nuts). I couldn't wait to type this out.

If it sounds a little familiar, it's because I based it heavily from an animated movie called _Hotarubi no Mori e. _I really liked it and so I wrote this out in two days. I almost went crazy haha! I'll try to get on top of my other things. My sincerest apologies for that, but until then, I hope you enjoy this! I'll be updating something soon!

PS. I update fics on my tumblr (stillwritinghallelujah) the day before I post them up on FFN or AO3, so if you really can't wait a day, there's that. :)

* * *

**Together in the Mountain God's Forest**

"Are you sure you have everything?"

Enjolras put down two bags by the door before popping into the kitchen to pick up another bag of packed food. He could hear his mother shuffling around in another room.

"Yes, mom." He shook his head, golden locks brushing against his forehead.

"Make sure you listen to your uncle, Julien." Enjolras furrowed his eyebrows at the use of his first name before chuckling, nonetheless. "Oh, do you have your ticket for the train? Are you sure you'll be all right? Make sure you don't forget anything on the train!"

"Yes, mom." He picked up the three bags, slinging his own personal bag across his chest.

"You should wear a hat – you'll get heatstroke!" Enjolras turned to his mother while he opened the door.

"I think I'll be fine, mom. Please stop worrying!" He brushed off her hovering and made his way towards the bus station. "I'm going now!"

"Please be careful, Julien!"

* * *

_I was six years old when I met her._

_In the mountain village where my uncle lives, I spent my summers frozen in time. Common lore told me that the mountain forests were protected by the mountain god and the spirits that lived there. In the summer heat, I found myself lost in the mountain god's forest. I had spent what felt like hours running around trying to look for a way out, but I eventually did what any six year old boy would do…_

…_I fell on my backside and started crying. I was nothing more than a sobbing, exhausted, terrified mess._

_I was six years old when she appeared before me._

* * *

"Hey! Kid!"

Six-year-old Enjolras' sobbing came to an abrupt halt at the sound of someone calling out to him over the chirping of the cicadas. He twisted his body to and fro, wide, blue eyes searching frantically for that person. Eventually, his gaze landed on a masked figure standing behind a tree a few meters away from Enjolras.

Their long, dark locks floated softly with the wind.

"Why are you crying?" Enjolras stayed silent at first, not quite over the fact that the girl speaking to him was wearing a white fox mask. She was half hidden by the tree and, despite the smiling fox mask, Enjolras heard her loud and clear. Then suddenly…

"It's a person! I'm saved!" Enjolras shot up and ran towards the girl, arms stretched forward, and face comically relieved.

"Oi!" And before Enjolras knew it, he landed face first into the ground.

The pair was silent, but the cicadas continued chirping, unbothered.

The boy groaned, pushing himself up. He spat out the dirt he tasted in his mouth and brushed out the leaves in his hair. He turned to face the masked girl, unamused and still with leaves and twigs tangled in his gold curls.

"I…uh…sorry." Enjolras couldn't tell if her apology was genuine – and so long as she wore that mask, he never would. "You're a human child, huh?"

"What do you mean…"

"If I'm touched by a human, I'll disappear."

"You're not a human?"

"I…I'm just something that lives…here…"

"So..." Enjolras' six-year-old mind ticked away, trying to find a logical solution. Then he looked up at her excitedly, hands clapping together in revelation. "Oh! You're one of the forest spirits then!"

More silence.

"But, wait, why would you disappear?"

He figured it wouldn't hurt to test out a theory. Enjolras reached forward, but she quickly stepped to the side. He got up to catch her faster, but he was easily dodged. He tried again and again, and it quickly turned into a game of tag. She stumbled back once and Enjolras finally saw his chance. He lurched forward…only to be hit with a thick branch to the forehead.

Enjolras fell back, tears stinging in his eyes and a hiss trying to alleviate the dull pain in his forehead.

"Owwww…" Enjolras groaned into the ground, hands on his head. "You're not human after all. There's no way a human would hit a kid like that."

"If I disappear, that's the end for me. There will be nothing left of me." When Enjolras picked himself up to face the girl, she was facing the side, with her face tilted upwards. "Those are the terms of the spell that the mountain god placed on me. If a human touches me, I disappear."

"I'm…sorry." Enjolras felt incredibly guilty for trying to touch the girl. The game was fun, but he didn't want her to disappear forever.

"Here, kid." The girl stuck the branch towards Enjolras. "Grab the other end. You're lost right? I'll show you the way out."

From this angle, Enjolras could see the edge of her mouth and watched how the side of her face moved with every word she said.

"Thank you!" He hesitated momentarily before jumping up and running towards the girl to hug her.

"Ack!" The girl stepped backward to evade Enjolras' approaching form and then…

"Owwwwww!" Enjolras rolled around on the ground in pain, hands firmly placed on his forehead yet again. He could barely hear what the girl panted out.

"You don't listen, do you?"

"I'm sorry!"

x

The pair made their way to the forest, the sun shining through the leafy canopy. Enjolras skipped happily beside the girl, with the stick held between them.

"This is like going on a date." Enjolras muttered excitedly under his breath with a giggle.

"Not a very romantic date." The girl deadpanned beside him. She glanced at the boy. "You're not afraid."

"Of what?"

"Nevermind."

The sun was going down when they finally reached an opening amongst the trees. Enjolras darted forward, but his partner did not take another step. "Just keep going straight; that'll lead you right to the village. Bye."

Enjolras paused before turning around to face her. "Are you going to stay here in the forest? Will you always be here? Can I meet you again?"

"This is the forest where the mountain god and spirits live. If you take one step in here, you'll be lost forever. You shouldn't come here." The wind blew gently around them and the leaves rustled in the breeze. "That's what they say down there, right?"

Enjolras smiled softly. "I'm Julien Enjolras. You?"

She stayed silent and the wind blew harder. Enjolras continued to stare at the unblinking eyes of the fox mask. It was harder to talk as the winds grew louder. He had to shout over the wind: "I'm going to come back tomorrow and I'll give you a present! See you later!"

He turned to run, embarrassed at her lack of an answer.

"It's Éponine."

As soon as he heard her say that, the winds died down and he stopped running to look at her. But by then, she was already gone.

Ten minutes later, he was found by his frantic uncle, happily humming to himself. Enjolras was quickly reprimanded with a flick to his forehead and the seriousness of the situation finally hit the six year old boy. Cue another sobbing break down.

"Hey uncle," Enjolras pulled at the hand he was holding onto. "There are spirits in the forest, right?"

"The forest, huh? Who knows." He shrugged with a smile. "I spent a lot of time in the forest with my friends when I was a kid. I wanted to meet one of the spirits, but I never did in the end. I'd maybe see something from the corner of my eye. But one of my friends said that she and some other kids went to the summer festival in the forest and had a blast! But there's no way the village would hold the festival in the forest, right? So whose festival was it?"

Enjolras' uncle chuckled at the memory. "That really takes me back. We were so stupid back then!"

When Enjolras went to bed that night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Lying on his back, he stared at the wood grains in the ceiling. He finally fell asleep, lulled by the memory of Éponine's voice ringing in his ears.

x

"Oh. You came." Enjolras stared at the figure sitting under the trees. The unblinking fox mask stared back. He clenched the plastic bag in his hands a little tighter. "I didn't actually think you'd come back."

"You…you waited!" Enjolras ran forward excitedly, arms – yet again – stretched out to hug Éponine. But, yet again…

"Owww…" Enjolras rubbed his head, re-familiarizing himself with the stick from yesterday. Where did she pull that darned stick from?

"You haven't learned, have you?" When the dull pain ebbed away, Enjolras grinned up at Éponine.

"I was so happy, I forgot. Sorry." He giggled in apology.

"It's hot out here." Now that she mentioned it, Enjolras could feel the scorching heat due to the lack of shade out here. "Let's go somewhere cooler." Éponine stood up, making her way into the mountain god's forest. Not hearing Enjolras following her, she continued. "Don't worry. I'll get you out again."

They walked side-by-side under the trees and Enjolras noticed the significant height difference between them. He just hit her hips. He handed her an ice candy from the plastic bag he brought and they continued through the forest. The mask was tilted upwards so that Éponine could eat the confectionary. Enjolras continued following her, a smile on his lips.

The pair remained silent, the only sound Enjolras could hear were their footsteps and the sounds of the forest: the chirping of the cicadas, the wind rustling through the leaves, and the plastic bag swinging by his leg. Enjolras started looking around, hearing movement that didn't match with the rest of the forest. His eyes widened, finding a black shadow in the midst of the trees.

"Is that a human child?" The shadow's voice perforated through the forest and Enjolras felt a shiver go down his spine. "Can I eat it?" Enjolras darted behind Éponine, who acknowledged the shadow.

"No, he's my friend." If Enjolras weren't so frightened, he would have had a grin plastered across his face.

"Is that so?" The shadow stayed behind the trees. "Human child, please don't touch Éponine's skin. If you do, I'll have to eat you!"

Enjolras stepped back, as if to run away, but Éponine sneezed loudly beside him. The shadow seemed to shiver before suddenly transforming into a yellow fox.

"Ah! It's a fox!" With that, the fox leapt away into the forest, squealing the whole way.

"That's another one of the spirits. He transforms to scare people, but he's all bark and no bite." Éponine stood as if she hadn't sneezed, hands in her pant pockets as usual.

"That's so…awesome!" Enjolras shouted, arms stretched into the sky as he jumped around in a circle. "I met a real spirit! They really exist! So cool! I'm totally going to tell uncle!"

In all his excitement, Enjolras failed to hear Éponine's exasperated mutter: "What did you think I was, then? Stupid kid."

She started to walk away from the excited child. "Ep, why-"

"What? Ep?" Éponine looked down at Enjolras whose wide, blue gaze was trained on her.

"You're name's too long." Enjolras didn't look away; Éponine didn't know whether that was brave or weird for the kid. The boy just shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Why do you wear a mask? Are you a no-face? Are you ugly?"

Éponine nearly tripped, but answered vaguely. "No reason in particular. Never mind me. Tell me about yourself, Julien."

"It's Enjolras."

Éponine stayed silent before sighing. "Okay, fine. Whatever."

"Why? You curious?"

"It's why I waited for you."

"You're pretty honest for a spirit of the forest."

"What would you know about spirits, huh?" Éponine grumbled, but Enjolras heard her clearly. "You just said Montparnasse was the first spirit you ever met."

Enjolras said nothing, but ran forward into a clearing, his laughter ringing through the air.

* * *

_I went back to the forest the next day, and then the day after that, and then the day after that. I spent every day of that summer in the mountain god's forest. I played and ran all over the mountain with Éponine._

_I learned so much; I saw so much._

_Even though it was silly childishness, it was always so much fun._

* * *

They were in a field full of flowers that day. Enjolras was spinning in circles while Éponine lay quietly under the sun. When the turns became too much for Enjolras he fell on his back, the clouds spinning wildly above him. The clouds eventually settled and Enjolras made his way back to a silent Éponine.

He knelt by her head, her face was still covered by the mask.

"Did Ep fall asleep?" He leaned forward, so that his head was right over top Éponine's. The wind blew quietly around him.

_It should be fine if I just touch the mask, right?_

He placed his hands on the mask and waited for something to happen. When nothing did, he started lifting the grinning fox from Éponine's face.

"She's asleep." Éponine's eyes were closed peacefully and it was suddenly incredibly quiet. She was very pale. Enjolras continued staring at her sleeping face. Then, Éponine's eyes slowly slid open, revealing brown irises.

Startled, Enjolras slammed the mask back onto Éponine's face. "Sorry!"

"OW!" Éponine rolled to her side, clutching the mask as if she were clutching her face. She slowly sat up, still holding the mask. "You're a pretty scary kid…attacking someone like that while they're sleeping."

"I'm sorry…but you were definitely faking it! There's no way you were sleeping!"

"I looked normal, huh?"

"Why do you wear that mask?"

"If I don't wear it, I won't look like a spirit, right?"

"You're pretty weird."

x

"Hey Ep." She was leading him back down the mountain when he suddenly piped up.

"Yeah?"

"I won't be able to come back tomorrow. I told you, remember? That I'm only here for the summer?"

"Hmmmmm." Éponine contemplated quietly and Enjolras fidgeted restlessly, wondering if he had truly upset her with his leaving. "Will you be able to come back next year?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

_This is how I started looking forward to the summer. Éponine waited for the next summer as well._

* * *

The pair walked along a path in a more heavily wooded area. Enjolras, now seven, skipped along behind Éponine who still donned her mask. Enjolras heard a loud creaking noise and both stopped as he spied a long, claw-shaped branch reach out from a tree. He gasped in surprise and stepped back as the branch wrapped itself around Éponine.

"Éponine!" A deep, raspy voice echoed through the area. Enjolras could only guess that it came from the tree that was holding onto Éponine. "That's dangerous! He is a human child! If he touches you, you'll disappear!"

Éponine remained calm, seemingly unaffected. The only sign showing any change in her countenance was her hands being out of her pockets. "Thank you. I'm fine." The tree released her, retreating back into its foliage.

"Please don't touch her, human child." Enjolras looked at the tree with both wonder and resolution in his eyes.

"I understand."

With that, they started moving forward. But Enjolras heard Éponine's name being called out from the forest, yet she remained unaffected. Enjolras looked to the side, finding spirits of all different forms calling Éponine's name, telling her to be careful.

Enjolras then realised, the spirits could touch Éponine, yet he could never.

* * *

_Another summer passed, then two, then three._

* * *

"Hey, Enjolras!" No matter where Éponine looked, she could not find Enjolras. The boy, however, had a bird's eye view from a high up branch. He waited patiently for Éponine to come closer to his tree before he flung himself upside down, knees holding him against the branch.

"Boo!" Éponine stepped back in surprise as Enjolras made himself upright.

"What are you doing…exactly…"

"I wanted to see what you looked like when you're surprised but…" Enjolras stared down at Éponine's masked face, frowning slightly. "Hey, can you take off your mask once in a while? At least when you're with me…"

"All right, but is there a reason why?" She started lifting her mask, but both could not hear the cracking of the branch underneath Enjolras.

"Not really, but-" Enjolras felt the branch give way and fall from beneath him.

"Enjolras!" He squeaked in surprise as he felt his decent. Éponine lurched forward, her hands outstretched to catch the boy, and Enjolras' eyes widened.

_No! If she catches me, she'll disappear!_

Somehow, Éponine was too slow and Enjolras miraculously fell on top of some very structured bushes.

"That was close." Enjolras just stared at Éponine; he was still a little jarred, but there was no denying his relief that Éponine was still there. "I'm sorry Enjolras. Are you okay?"

Enjolras slid down from the bushes, brushing himself off. Éponine still had her mask on.

"Thank goodness." Enjolras knelt on the ground, staring pensively at Éponine's sandaled feet. "Hey, Ep?"

"Yeah?" Éponine crouched down in front of Enjolras.

"No matter what, please don't touch me, okay?" Éponine said nothing, watching Enjolras instead. Eventually the boy burst into tears, relieved and saddened that such circumstances surrounded their friendship.

* * *

_I visited the forest every summer afterwards._

* * *

"Ep! I'm here again!" Éponine was there, yet again, at the entrance where they'd met every summer since he was six. "Check it out! I'm in sixth grade!" Enjolras spun around, showing off his new uniform.

"Somehow…you're starting to look like an actual man." Éponine snickered, almost tipping over with her laughter.

"I _am _a man." He crossed his arms childishly.

"Sure had me fooled." Éponine got up and brushed herself off. "Shall we go?"

Enjolras sped up to catch up to her, but noticed something weird. He chatted absentmindedly at her, but his thoughts were running a mile a minute.

_I'm at her shoulders now._

_Our ages are getting closer. For some reason, Éponine ages much slower than humans._

x

"Like this?" Éponine held up the little paper kite that Enjolras had brought with him that day.

"Yeah! Let go when I start running, okay?" Enjolras turned around and darted off in the opposite direction and Éponine let go of the kite. It soared into the sky and the pair stood side-by-side watching as it flew with the wind.

Enjolras let go of more string and it flew higher into the sky. Éponine didn't take her eyes off the kite.

"Here." Enjolras held some of the string towards her, which she took, and then handed her the dowel with the rest of the string without touching her hands.

* * *

_As the years go by, my appearance changes, but Éponine is almost exactly the same as the first day we met._

* * *

She was leading him back out of the forest, the kite clutched behind his back, when she slowed her steps and stopped walking. Enjolras looked behind himself, finding Éponine framed by the sunlight with a butterfly perched on the nose of her mask. Her face was tilted skyward and she lifted the mask.

Her eyes were closed, but the smile on her face made Enjolras' heart race in the strangest way.

x

Enjolras spent the rest of the afternoon lying on his uncle's floor. It was still so hot, even though evening was approaching.

_Someday, I'll be older than Éponine._

The thought somewhat depressed him. He waved the fan by his face, but continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Hey, Julien." His uncle found him on the floor, fan over his face. "I've got some watermelon; let's go eat."

Enjolras got up and sat beside his uncle on the porch. "Where's mom?"

"Shopping with your aunt." His uncle took a loud bite from his watermelon slice. "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Late, maybe." Enjolras talked with a full mouth. "Mom says we'll still be here until the afternoon."

"I see." Another loud bite from his uncle. "Ah! It's so hot! The weather is good for eating watermelons, but if it continues like this, winter will be freezing!"

"Huh? Why?"

"The village is in between mountains and the ocean is far away so the temperature difference between summer and winter is huge." Enjolras put down his watermelon slice as his uncle chuckled to himself. "The winter cold after a hot summer could freeze the mountain god himself!"

"Cold, huh?"

x

Enjolras met up with Éponine one last time before he had to leave for the fall.

"A scarf?" Éponine, masked as always, held Enjolras' gift to her in confusion. "It's still summer."

"Yeah, but you have to use it in the winter, okay?"

She looked down at the brown scarf and hummed to herself.

"Okay bye, now!" Enjolras waved as he made his way back to the village.

"Bye!"

"See you next year!" The last thing that Enjolras saw was Éponine waving, her hair flying in the wind.

* * *

_Going back home – my home, not uncle's home – was always weird. I was never too into anything, summer was always when I became the most lively._

* * *

Enjolras spent that fall and winter wondering if Éponine ever used the scarf he gave her.

The days went by and Enjolras was a little more withdrawn than usual. He wasn't friendless; he had a very tight-knit group of friends. But as he was getting older, he started noticing things.

When his friends started dating people, he found himself saddened. He'd see them hold hands and embrace. Even he could touch his friends when they accidently bumped into him or brought him into a reluctant embrace.

He came to the startling realisation that he wanted to feel like that too. He wanted to know what it felt like to love someone like Marius loved Cosette. He wanted someone to hold after long, tiring days. He wanted to feel the same kind of warmth he saw in Grantaire's eyes when the boy looked at Jehan.

He came to the even more startling revelation that he was in love. He had been falling in love for years, but he had only figured out how deeply he had fallen now. He already had someone in his heart; he wanted to love her completely and he wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let her go.

But for the one person he wanted to hold most, he couldn't even hold her hand.

_I want to see Éponine. _

x

Enjolras returned the next summer, donning a new uniform.

"Is that new?" Éponine was leaning against a tree trunk, waiting for him. Masked, as usual.

"Yep!" He said proudly, pulling at his sleeve. "I'm in tenth grade!"

When they started walking together, Enjolras almost fell over in surprise.

"What is it?" He was looking down at her and she had to look up at him.

"I'm taller than you now." Éponine tensed beside him, but quickly shrugged it off.

"You may look like a man, but you still say stupid things like a kid."

"Oi!" He walked a little faster to catch up to her.

"Time really flies, huh?"

Enjolras was quiet before replying. "Yeah."

x

"You don't come running at me anymore, I've noticed." Éponine laughed. They were sat by a lake, just watching lily pads float by.

"I've learned my lesson." Enjolras rubbed his head, remembering the stinging pain of Éponine's don't-touch-me branch. "You always brought that stupid stick with you everywhere."

"Still have it." She pulled the forsaken branch from seemingly thin air, waving it forebodingly in front of him. Enjolras tensed and subconsciously backed up.

They said nothing for a few more minutes, and then Enjolras broke the silence. "I'm going to graduate in three years and then I think I'll look for a job here."

"Hm? Really?" Éponine turned her head to him

"Yeah." Enjolras smiled softly. "Then I can be with you more. Fall – winter – spring – always. Right?"

"Enjolras." Éponine leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I'm going to tell you about myself." As if gathering her thoughts, Éponine was quiet for a while. Enjolras waited patiently for her to continue. "I'm not an actual spirit…but I'm no longer a human. I was a human a long time ago – they said I was a human when I was a baby. I was abandoned in the forest then." She bit at her bottom lip pensively. "The spirits said I was really noisy back then, always crying – like I was calling for my parents – they said I didn't stop crying for a long time.

"The spirits said that I only stopped when they gave me this mask. They were so happy to see my smile." She was quiet again, but then she continued. "I should have died then, but then the mountain god appeared and cast a spell that allowed me to live, so that I never move on."

Enjolras didn't know what to say. Éponine picked at the grass beside her and she whispered so quietly that he almost missed it: "I'm like a ghost."

"I-"

"It's okay to forget about me, Enjolras, you know." Éponine fell backwards, lying comfortably on the green grass. "A body that's maintained by magic is very weak. If it touches a real human body, the spell is broken and it disappears." She lifted a hand into the air, staring at it intensely. "Such a fragile thing…how could you-"

"Something that disappears when touched…it's like snow." Éponine's head turned towards Enjolras, finding him leaning back, staring at the white clouds in the sky. "I thought of you during the winter. And the fall, and then spring. Ep." Enjolras looked down at her with a soft smile. "Ep, don't forget about me. Time will separate us one day, but until then…let's stay together."

x

The next day, the pair were sat on a rock, fishing in a clear lake under a warm sun.

"Spirit festival?"

"Wrong, dummy." Éponine cast another line into the water. "A summer festival held by the spirits."

"That's the same thing." Nothing was biting. "What's the difference?"

"Nuance! They're completely different." Éponine lazily bobbed her makeshift fishing rod up and down, disturbing the otherwise calm waters. "I thought you'd get scared when you were little, so I didn't invite you. But tonight can you sneak out? I've wanted to go with you for a long time."

"Yeah!" Enjolras grinned, excitement clear as day in his eyes.

"Meet me at the usual place at 8 then."

"But a festival with a whole bunch of spirits sounds…dodgy. And it's at night time too…"

"Ah, there's no need to worry about that." Éponine lifted her mask a little, showing her face to Enjolras. "It's not that different from a human festival. It mimics one, after all." She turned away a little bit. "Besides…I'll protect you, Enjolras."

"Hey…that's supposed to be my line…" Enjolras mumbled childishly. All he got in response was her cheeky grin. "But if you say something like that, it makes me want to hold you and never let go." He could actually feel his blush crawling up from his neck to the roots of his hair.

"Do it." The mood suddenly became sullen. Éponine's mask was back in place, but she was looking away from Enjolras. "Seriously."

x

When night came, the forest was lit with spirit fire and chimes and bells rang out through the forest. The festival was in full swing and many people were enjoying it so far. Enjolras and Éponine were walking together, taking in all the sights and sounds.

"You weren't lying. It really is like a human festival!"

"Why would I lie about something like this, you dummy."

"Are all the spirits disguised like humans?"

"Yep!" Éponine puffed up, showing her pride in the spirits. "Impressive, huh? Sometimes even humans mix in without knowing it."

Enjolras started walking forwards, amused by all the spirits around him.

"Enjolras." He turned to face Éponine, who was pulling out a length of fabric from her sleeve. "Tie this around your wrist. Can't have you getting lost."

Enjolras tied the fabric around his wrist and watched Éponine do the same with the other end. He chuckled, his cheeks turning a little red. "It's just like going on a date."

"This _is_ a date." If it hadn't been for Éponine's ears turning just a little red, Enjolras would not have known of her embarrassment. "Shall we go?"

Éponine walked ahead of him and Enjolras had never been happier. They walked through the festival, looking at the different displays and watching weird performances. They were even called out as being a couple by a group of children.

When the night came to a close, the spirits lit a giant bonfire. Éponine watched the bonfire light up, her mask completely off for once. Enjolras couldn't tear his gaze away from Éponine, who was glowing from the fire.

He imprinted her smile and her sparkling gaze in his mind.

x

The pair left the rest of the spirits, who were happily dancing around the bonfire, and opted for a quiet walk along the same lake where Enjolras heard Éponine's story.

"That was so weird!" Enjolras laughed. "Is it like that every year?"

"Mmhmm." Éponine had slipped her mask back on. "Every time summer comes around." They continued walking in silence, chirping bugs the only thing disturbing the quiet. "Enjolras."

"Yeah?"

"I can no longer wait for summer to come around. When I'm away from you, even though I can't be around lots of people, I want to go see you."

Enjolras stopped walking and looked at Éponine in surprise, but she was still staring straight ahead. She was completely serious, the redness of her ears the only thing betraying her embarrassment. His heart was just about to burst out of his chest at Éponine's declaration. He reached his hand towards hers, but immediately thought better of it – as much as he wanted to hold her hand, there was no way he was going to risk losing her.

Enjolras was stuck in his own thoughts. The inner turmoil he was facing was heartbreaking. He was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't notice Éponine lifting her mask off to look at him with a soft smile. She tugged sharply at the fabric between them, forcing him to lean forward. She placed the mask on him and kissed him on the lips – the mask being the only barrier between them.

They stayed still like that, with Enjolras leaning over and her on her toes to make up the rest of the distance. Eventually, Éponine pulled away and started walking again.

"K-Keep the mask."

So this is how she saw the world. His line of sight was hindered by the mask, the two eyeholes showing only what was directly in front of him. Éponine was looking at him, a grin on her face and he could feel his face heat up. Well, if she was the only thing he had to look at, he would be fine with that.

When they started walking again, Enjolras was absorbed in his thoughts yet again. But he kept his gaze trained on Éponine's back.

_She probably won't come to their meeting place next summer._

_This is definitely our last-_

His thoughts were immediately interrupted by a pair of children running past them. One of the boys tripped by Éponine and she quickly reached out and caught the boy by the arm.

"Hey?" Enjolras stepped forward, catching the kid's attention. "You okay? Be careful, all right?" The kid nodded and ran to catch up with his friend. Éponine was oddly silent, and when Enjolras turned to look at her, her hand was glowing under the moonlight.

"Éponine?" Enjolras' eyes widened when Éponine's fingertips were turning into glowing, green flecks – the spell was broken, the magic was flying away. "Was that boy a human?!"

_Éponine was going to disappear._

She still said nothing, but she turned to him in surprise. One look confirmed Enjolras' worst nightmare. But instead of becoming angry, Éponine's face broke into a beautiful smile as she opened her arms towards Enjolras. Her whole body was now glowing.

"Come here, Julien Enjolras." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I can finally hold you."

Enjolras took off the mask, letting it slip from his fingers and fall to the ground. He lurched forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent and holding her tighter. Despite his sadness, he was smiling – she smelled like summer.

He pulled away from her neck and after peering at her still smiling visage, pressed his lips against hers for the first and last time.

Moments later when the magic had completely disappeared, Enjolras' arms were empty and he stood crying with nothing but a grinning fox mask as evidence of Éponine's presence.

But he could still hear her voice, clear as day.

"I love you."

Enjolras picked up the mask and looked to the moon.

"I love you too."

* * *

_Deep green is the colour I think of when I think of Éponine._

_This is the mountain god's forest and he brought you to me._

* * *

Voices of the spirits in the forest whispered to Enjolras and were carried by the wind.

'Enjolras, thank you.'

'We wanted to be with Éponine forever.'

'All she wanted was to touch a human.'

'She was finally held by the human she loves the most.'

'Thank you for making her happy.'

* * *

_I probably will not be able to look forward to summer for a while. Just thinking about it makes my chest heart and tears fill my eyes._

_But the memories of my summers in the mountain god's forest…_

…_and the warmth I felt as I held her in my arms will live in my heart._

* * *

"Hey there, Julien!"

"Hi, Uncle!" Enjolras walked forward to meet his uncle.

"My, you're getting tall." His uncle patted him on the shoulder; they were about the same height now.

"Mom baked you some cake." Enjolras lifted the bag with the square box as the older man patted his belly in excitement.

"She really knows how to get on my good side, huh?" Enjolras chuckled, nodding his head. "Say, Julien, got a girlfriend?"

A pang of sadness shot through Enjolras, but answered in the negative. "No, I don't."

"Well, let me tell you about the family that moved in next door." His uncle hooked an arm around Enjolras' shoulders conspiratorially. "They've got a daughter. She's a pretty thing, a bit quiet, but boy can she cook! She reminds me a bit of you, actually."

"Really?" Enjolras chuckled, politely taking in his uncle's nudging, but not quite taking him seriously. After all, there was still someone he loved. "How so?"

"Always out in the mountain god's forest. But that's what you get from city folk, right? Are you guys depraved from oxygen or something out there?" They were almost at his uncle's place.

"I don't know, maybe." Enjolras switched the bags from one hand to the other and asked absentmindedly. "What's her name?"

"Oh, something strange." His uncle rubbed his chin in thought. The man frowned and Enjolras shrugged the topic off, ready to talk about something else.

"Ah! It's Éponine!"

* * *

A gentle breeze rustled through the tree of the mountain god's forest.


End file.
